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Sunday, January 30, 2011

After all of the difficulties of last week, it was a welcome break to just spend some time enjoying the snow and being together this weekend.

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We're here in Gettysburg at my Mom and Dad's house, and they have a decent sledding hill right out the back door. We only had two sleds, so the "train" method is how we chose to roll most of the time.

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Here's our big girl trudging back up the slope with the sled. She much preferred it when Daddy would drag her up on the sled. That happened maybe one time, but she was usually able to convince one of us to drag the sled for her.

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After one too many facefulls of snow yesterday, I got smart and let Mike ride in front sometimes.

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Here we are in a jumble at the bottom of the hill. Daddy and his girls... that commute from hell is becoming more of a distant memory.

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If you haven't been sledding in awhile, I highly recommend it!! I'm going to be sore tomorrow, but it will be totally worth it :)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Yes, yes, I DO realize it is no longer Thursday. However, since I lost almost a day this week, I ask you to please bear with me.

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On Wednesday morning, as predicted, it started to snow here. It started out as light mixed precip, and by 3pm started to snow in earnest. When I looked out the window, I told Sophie it looked like it was raining snow. Weather people were saying 3-5 inches for us. Mike was at work, and I called to tell him he should leave early. He was in a meeting, and didn't get my message right away.

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By the time Mike left work, all of Northern Virginia was in a total gridlock. Due to the volume of traffic, plows couldn't get through to clear the roads, and the snow was coming down so hard that cars were slipping and sliding everywhere. People were abandoning their vehicles right and left, adding to the danger for those still on the road, and adding to the inability of the plow drivers to clear the roads.

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Our power at home went out at 8pm. I added blankets to the beds, put on Sophie's battery powered nightlight, and crocheted by lantern for a couple of hours. Mike called to say he'd made it to a grocery store, and was going to hang there until things cleared out. He spent 3 hours in that grocery store, and things still did not "clear out".

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I woke up to Mike coming home at 2 am. He had braved the crazy drivers and the fallen trees and made it home to us. We still had no power, but were hopeful that it would come on overnight.

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Woke up Thursday morning to a 55 degree house. Mike built a raging fire in the fireplace, and we played board games. By 2pm, we decided to go out and get something to eat. Came home- still no power. Finally, at 4pm, 20 hours later, our house lit back up and the furnace started to hum. What an ordeal! Thank you very much to Dominion Power for working so hard to get everybody re-electrified!!

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So now, how behind am I? SOOOOOOO far. Sophie missed 3 days of school last week, and this coming Monday is a scheduled teacher workday. And can you believe another storm is predicted for Tuesday? UNCLE!!!!! UNCLE!!!!!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

There he is. My celebrity crush: Mark Wahlberg. I love him in all of his roles, whether he's rapping his Marky Mark heart out, posing in his Calvin Klein undies, or playing a porn star in Boogie Nights. My absolute favorite Mark, though, is the Perfect Storm Mark. I don't know if it's the tough guy fisherman thing or the Massachusetts accent thing, but man oh man is this my "other" man. My main man Mike comes first, of course, but y'know.

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Ever since many of you shared your interesting facts the other week, I've been thinking how nice it was to get to know you a bit better- and for all who leave comments to get to know each other as well. So, since we can't all get together in actuality and have a girly gab-fest, I thought I might host a "cyber spill it" session every once in awhile. So, pull up a comfy chair and your snack and beverage of choice...First topic: Who is your celebrity crush?

Monday, January 24, 2011

~*~... and here is the rug so far- just about halfway done! I shocked myself by nailing the correct amount of fabric for the first half of the rug almost perfectly. Now I just need to retrace my steps for the second half. When finished, this rug will be 2 feet across by 5 feet long.

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If you haven't left your comment in the previous post, there is still time! Come on and play The Price Is Right!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Game: I show you my thrift haul from one recent outing. You leave a comment with your best guess as to how much I paid. This does include VA sales tax. The person who comes closest WITHOUT going over wins.

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The Rules: One clear and definitive guess per person- no amending your answer. Please do not choose the same answer as a person who came before you- read the comments prior to leaving your guess. Game runs through Tuesday 5pm, EST and is open to US and international players.

The receipt and winner will be posted here: please be sure I know how to get in touch with you either through blog, website or email. Play nice and have fun!!

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The Prize: The satisfaction of winning, AND $5 in "soso bucks" that can be applied toward any purchase in either of my shops. Can be saved and spent at a later time, up to one year. Can be combined with other wins or offers. Not redeemable for cash. Non-transferable.

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The Stuff: This week the loot comes from a charity shop for a local hospital. A very small thrift shop, run completely by volunteers. The prices here are on the higher end for vintage items of probable value, and on the ridiculously low end for small or "unknown" items.

Precious old sugared Easter egg- a good example of something I will keep because no one could ever love this more than me.

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AMAZING vintage aqua blue dutch oven by Club

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5 more vintage unused greeting cards to add to the growing collection!

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Squeal!!! A perfect unmarked mixing bowl from the mysterious Pyrex "eyes" line

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And lastly, a phenomenal 3 piece Pyrex set in "poinsettia". Wait til you see the lid on this one, too!

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{An aside... does anyone know a trick for removing old candles from a metal stand such as this? I've tried the old freeze it trick to no avail.}~*~

So, whether you have played every other Price is Right game, or you are a first time blog visitor, I welcome you to the fun! I can't wait to see who wins. See ya tomorrow for Makeover Monday!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The shipment of yarn that I needed to finish this rug came in last week! This is the same stitch as the mid-century rug I shared with you the other day, but when the solid colors are striped this way it has a whole different look. The entire reason I was drawn to this rug pattern in the first place was that the ziggy zaggy stripes reminded me of ricrac. So, this rug will be known as the Rosey RicRac Rug. Say that three times fast!!

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Hope you are having a splendiferous weekend. be sure to come back tomorrow for.....

Friday, January 21, 2011

When setting out to make a custom rag rug for someone, the first step is gathering fabrics in the desired color family. Once the fabrics are all washed and approved, the next step is trimming them of all hems and selvage and dividing the pieces into sections. The number of sections is based loosely on the size of the rug and the overall "look" one is going for. After that, the different fabrics in each section need to be put in order of appearance. Only when all of these things are accomplished am I ready to cut the fabric into strips and actually crochet the piece. That's where I am now with the 15 fabrics pictured here- ready to rug! Let the fun begin!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Look what I found! Eighteen of these gorgeous milkglass spice jars! Some of the stickers have smudges or scratches that won't come off, but the glass jars themselves are in perfect condition. If I were to keep these, I'd soak off the stickers and make or buy my own labels. But, I'm not planning to keep them. Look for this awesome set in sosovintage sometime soon :)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

This is NOT the rug I should have been making over the last several days, but it is a rug that I am just SO excited about that I had to share it with you!

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At a favorite antique mall last fall, I found an amazing crochet rug pattern book from 1952! In my "spare time", I have been working on tweaking my favorite "recipe", and here is the result. This stitch, worked with a double strand of worsted cotton, makes such a luxurious place to rest your toes.

~*~ This is actually the second rug that I started from this derived pattern; my first is even more exciting! I ran out of a yarn that is apparently no longer sold anywhere around me, though, so I am waiting on a shipment in order to finish that one. Yes, I have kicked myself several times for that blunder.

~*~ I LOVE that this rug can be made to order in any length or width, an endless combination of colors, with or without fringe, etc. This particular one is about 3 feet long and 16" wide. It is perfect to use by the tub or kitchen sink- ultra absorbent and washer/dryer friendly. I can picture an extra long one as a hallway runner, or an extra wide one on a sunporch or in a nursery. Oh, how I love cotton!~*~Look for this one is sosorosey today- she's ready to ship!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

So, these are the frozen treats that Sophie picked out the other day. We had them for dessert one night, and as I was getting them out of the freezer, I had a memory blast. I remembered that while I pronounce the name "fudgesicles", my mother always called these "fudgicles".

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I giggled about it, and shared that tidbit with my husband. I assumed this was just another mom-ism, like the way she says coupons as "kewpons". (You know I love you, Mom!!) Come to find out, my hubs said that he called these fudgicals as a kid, too. Wha?? Is this some freakish generational thing? Did our country as a whole regularly leave out the "s" in fudgsicle back in the day? I'm so curious...have you experienced this phenomenon? What do YOU call these ...besides totally yummy :)

Monday, January 17, 2011

As soon as I saw it hanging at the thrift store, I knew this beautifully detailed lavender flannel receiving blanket would be going home with me. ~*~Before I ever began crocheting receiving blankets into stars, I made them into little bowls. Sometimes it's worth a look back at your sold items to see what you might want to add to your shelves. The design creates a nicely textured piece, and if you look closely at the center of the bowl, you can still see some of those pretty swirls.~*~Happy Monday! Are you Americans enjoying your MLK holiday today? It has been a very looooong weekend here, and I am looking forward to getting back into our usual routine tomorrow. I have a rug to make that I have been putting off- not because I don't want to make it, but because the initial planning can be very time-consuming and daunting. I WILL get going on that ... TODAY.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

There is something so special to me about vintage greeting cards. I wonder what it is? These three birthday cards are excellent examples of "things I couldn't walk away from". I lucked out at the little hospital charity thrift the other day... I found 25 assorted vintage cards from someone's collection at the amazing price of 10 cents each. I'll take a thrift store over Macy's any day of the week!!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

I had a returning customer pop in to sosorosey the other day with a very special request. Her husband makes gemstone rosaries, and he had recently made one that was to be donated to raise money for their local school.

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She wanted to purchase a small bowl to serve as a presentation piece for the gift. The rosary to be donated was made of fancy jasper, and after looking at several photos of this stone, we agreed that an off-white bowl would be the best color.

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My *usual* bowlees are 3" deep and the sides go straight up. I wanted to create a bowl for this purpose that would do a better job of showcasing the contents, so I gently flared the sides out. As a finishing touch, I strengthened the rim with an additional stitch for added interest and durability. It came out looking so sweet that I decided to go ahead and offer this new shape in the shop. This hot pink one is the latest addition!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I think I let out a little squeal sound when I found this mini *rings and things* wall pocket on Tuesday. Would you believe this is the third one I have found in my life? The other two have gone on to good homes, so I'm hoping this one will too.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Being thoughtful isn't particularly difficult or time-consuming, right? I mean, I like to think of myself as thoughtful- don't we all? But isn't it true that sometimes you come across someone so *out-of-the-ordinary* thoughtful, that you just think WOW! She is SOOOO nice!

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These little bowls were made for someone like that. She purchased them as "just because" gifts for four of her friends, and asked that I send them off with a little note directly to their homes. Wasn't that SO nice?

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~*~Here they are all bagged and tagged, nestled in their little shred nests, ready to go bring smiles to four faces. Thoughtful people like that make the stars shine a little brighter, don't they?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

My current favorite song is this one right HERE. I envision it being played at many, many weddings over the next year or so. My own wedding song was a popular song that we knew was kind of cheesy, but it suited us so well that we had to use it! You can hear that one HERE.

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So, in honor of the upcoming month of love, please leave a comment and share your own wedding song or "significant other" song... I'd just love to know what you chose for your big day!

Monday, January 10, 2011

When I went thrifting at Yesterday's Rose last week, I wasn't looking for t-shirts. When I got there, however, I discovered that t-shirts were on sale: 4 for $1. I decided it would be a good time to look for tie-dyed tees to repurpose. I only found two, but how exciting that they were both red and white! Perfect for the upcoming month of love.~*~

I cut and crocheted the extra large shirt last night. This is a really nice sized bowl, and I even had enough fabric to give it a fancy rim. I think she looks like a plus size peppermint :)

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Happy Monday! The forecast is calling for snow along the east coast tomorrow, so there is a decent chance that Sophie may finally get to use her new Christmas sled! I'm looking forward to a week of finishing up a couple of custom orders and crossing some items off of my to-do list for this month. What do you have going on these days?

Sunday, January 9, 2011

No buddy, I didn't get the lint roller out to clean this chair for you. See, this is where I take my photos, remember? For my shops, you know? It's not cool for you to jump your gray furred self up there as SOON as I finish getting the white all white again.

Friday, January 7, 2011

No, my husband doesn't need to be worried. I just can't seem to stop making these roving rufflettes! I have done a few in other types of yarn, but this is just my favorite to work with right now. It is so soft, works up very quickly, and has a really nice body to it. These are shorter than your average scarf, and they all have a functional vintage button sewn on to help keep them fashionably and warmly in place. These colors will be coming to sosorosey soon!

7. Some of my first jobs, in high school and college, were Long John Silver's cashier, shoe saleswoman, Dominos Pizza delivery girl, and Marriot restaurant waitress. Nothing topped the polyester pirate hat from LJS, though.

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Now I know it can be difficult to keep up with blog awards, so I am a no-pressure nominator. I'd love to see 7 facts about anyone who is reading this! If you would like to share some things about yourself on your blog, please let me know so that I can be sure to read them!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

~*~Meow! For the last few evenings, I have been hard at work on this neutral kitty cat bed for a feline friend in New Jersey. I only have 2 or 3 more rows to go, so I should be able to finish it tonight. Thanks so much for bringing your order to sosorosey, Anne... I would LOVE to see a photo of your fur-baby in the bed if you have a chance to send one!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Thanks so much Donna and Karen for guessing on my last post- I really appreciate it! Karen, if you had just written a few more letters... It's a Posie Pincushion! I have been asked in the past to try my hand at pincushions, and I finally created a design that I am happy to give the sosorosey seal of approval.

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This little number is filled with small dried beans instead of polyfil, making it a tad bit more ecofriendly and giving it a nice little heft. It doubles as a paperweight, too :) I can't seem to stop making these (I know you know about this phenomenon, Donna!), so look for them to come out like a pincushion parade in sosorosey over the next few days.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

So, according to my research, this is a creamer or sauce pitcher by Indiana glass in the "grape and leaves" pattern. Am I right so far? What I don't understand, though, is that I see lots of milkglass items referred to as "grape and leaves" that don't look like this. Are there many grape and leaf motifs? This item is a creamy opaque milkglass...how does this compare to the more translucent varieties? The value for something like this appears to be all over the place; the condition is as near to mint as one can get. I thought $20 was a fair price, but now that I did an Etsy search, it seems $10 is more reasonable. Bummer. All thoughts are appreciated!!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

One of my very favorite things about beginning a new year is putting up a new calendar! (Yep, I get excited to start new check registers, too.) I think it's the outward evidence of a clean slate and endless possibilities that does it for me. The pages are all crisp and uncluttered, and I love to fill in the little squares oh, so neatly with all of the things I want to remember.

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I have looked into purchasing a fancy letterpress calendar on Etsy, but alas, these are typically all form and very little function. I USE my wall calendar! Last year I waited too long to get a new calendar, and the only one I found was a dumb talking cartoon animal thing. I bought this new one at Target, and am beyond thrilled that it has stickers (ooh), pockets (ahh), and a place to hold a pen (eeh)!! No more paper-clipping snack calendars and Tae Kwon Do schedules!

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So, Happy New Year! Are you, by any chance, a calendar freak like me? What is one of your favorite things about a new year?